Dental flask clamp and press



W. J. CLARK AND W. M. ROMINI'L.

DENTAL FLASK CLAMP AND PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-30, 192l- Pabented Apr. 18, 1922'.

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DENTAL FLASK CLAMP AND PRESS.

APPLICATION HLEQ AUG-30, 192l- Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

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vessel during the operation.

wnnrna J. CLARK awn wrLLrnt/r M. ROMINE, or wrcz-rrrn, KANSAS,

DENTAL FLASK CLAMP AND PRESS,

Application filed August 30, 1921.

T 0 all w 710m it may concern Be it known that we, WALTER J. CLARK and WILLIAM M. ROMINE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Flask Clamps and Presses, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to dentahflask clamps and presses for use in making arti ficial dentures, and the general object of the invention is to provide a combinable flaskclamp and press having the objects and advantages hereinbelow set forth.

The following, which we consider the ideal requirements for a dental-flask holder or clamp, are filled by our novel flask-holder construction (A) Ease of placing and removing flasks, with minimum handling thereof. Means to hold flasks securely comprismg an easily manipulated, positive lock. ((3.) Means to apply automatically, first to front of flasks, then gradually to shift the pressure to a point slightly back of centre of flasks, where the full pressure is applied thereto. Thus, the plastic material used to form the anterior portion'of the denture is compressed first, thereby preventing other plastic material from impregnating or amalgamating with said anterior material, and eliminating the possibility of the base material of the denture being squeezed into and through the veneering material of the denture. (1).) That the container (clamp) with flasks therein, may be placed in a vessel of boiling water and the denture fully formed, expelling all surplus material (rubber) without removing the clamp from such sufficiently strong spring bearing upon the top of the clamp to allow for expansion and to take up the same during vulcanization. (E) That the flasks with their enclosed dentures may be placed in, or removed from, a vulcanizer without the operators touching the flask holder, or, in fact, any metal whatever.

The press.

advantage:

Thls press 1s constructed with means for engaging it with the top of our improved Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, Serial No. 496,935,

on the handle of the press.

By the use of the combination of our improved press and flask-clamp, a saving in tlme of from 25 to 30 minutes may be effected as compared with the time consumed in using any other flask-press or container of which we are cognizant.

Other advantages, not necessary to discourse upon here, may attach to the constructions and combinations of devices to be described.

A preferred embodiment of the invention s represented in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that said drawings are to be construed as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, as some of the advantages which we have attained may attach to modified constructions not differing in essential features from those shown in these drawings.

in the drawings,-

Figure 1 is an elevation of thecombined clamp and press, looking into one of the openings of the clamp, showing two empty flasks in position; the press-handle being in section;

Fig. 2 is an elevation viewed at right angles to Fig. 1, the lower portion of the clamp being broken awa Fig. 3 is a detail view in vertical section, of parts to be described;

Fig. i is a section viewed on line lV lV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the combination parts from that shown on Fig. 2;

Figures 6 and '2' are fragmentary detail views of the lower portions of the flask holder, Fig. 6 being sectioned upon line VI of Fig. 7, andFig. 7 being sectioned on line VII of Fig. 6.

Describing first the flask holder, or clamp: This part of the apparatus comprises the curved side walls 1, 2, integral with bottom members 3, 41 respectively. Said bottom members are hingedly connected in ay suitable manner: as shown, by tongues 6, on one part, held loosely in openings 7 in the other. Two flasks f, of the ordinary kind, are held between said walls as shown, the walls extending about an inch above the top of'the upper flask. The upper edge of the major wall 1 has an inturned flange 8, which may be undercut, but is not'necessarily so. The upper end of wall 2 has a pair of lugs 9, separated by a vertical slot 10. The inner face of each lug '9 has series of ratchet-teeth 12, the function of which is presently stated.

The wall 1 is provided with a socket-piece 18 (Fig. 3) in which rest pivotpins 1 1 on one end of a presser-bar 16, which carries a stiif helical spring 17 and horizontal plate 18. Spring 17 is housed in a socket, as shown, and bears upon plate 18. The outer end of bar 16 carries a fasteningknob 19 mountedon a rotatable stem 30, locked in place by a collar 21. The width of knob 19 is less than that of the slot 10 between the lugs 9. The outer end of the bar 16 is provided with ratchet-teeth122 (Fig. 2) adapted to interlock with the teeth 12 of lugs '9. Knob 19 is slidable vertically along the outer faces of said lugs, and also may be turned to a horizontal angle for a fastening purpose. 7

Plate '18 is loosely supported as follows Said plate has a pair of integral upstanding cars 23, in each of which is a small stud 241. Said studs project over the top of bar 16. Each ear 28 is also provided with an areuate slot 26, having pivots 141 as a centre, and through each slot projects a pin 27,

fixedly mounted in bar 16. The lower ends of these slots, as shown, permit the depression of bar 16 relatively to plate 18, whereby s rin 17 will be com ressed before ositive pressure is placed upon said plate.

Each clamp-lug 9 is provided with an opening 27 for the reception of a hook 28 on the lower end of a double latch 29, can ried by the press frame, which will next be described. I

This frame, as shown, comprises a casting 82 whose shape is clearly disclosed. The lower end of said frame effects engagement with the clamp 1-2 by means of a pair of rigid fingers 83 having lugs 34 secured to the frame proper by screws 36. Said fingers are curved to fit the curvature of cl. wall 1, and are formed with book fiang s adapted for coengagement with flanges 6,

as shown. Frame 82 further en a es the flask-clamp by means of a depending latch 38, pivotally supported on the frame at 3 for radial motion toward and from the lugs 9. This latch has the hooked ends 28 hereinbefore mentioned. Integral with latch 38 is a release-arm 40, actuated as hereinafter stated.

Slidable in a slot 41 in frame 32 is a toggle-block 12, having an upwardly extending guide-pin 4:3 and a downwardly extending pressure-pin 4A. Pin 13 slidably enters a bore 16 in the frame. Pin 41 1 is of such length as to clear the top of bar 16 when said pin is near the upper limit of its travel and when two filled flasks are within the clamp or holder. Block 42 is connected by pins 47 to a lower pair of toggle-links. 48 whose upper ends are connected by pins 4-9 to a pair of nuts-'50, through which e."- tends a right-andlcft threaded screw .51, passing rotatably through a'suitable bore in the frame, and providedwith a nonmetallic hand-wheel 52. The upper pair of toggle-links 53 enter slotsin the frame and are pivotally connected thereto bypins 5 1. Mounted on the upper end of said frame is a handle 56, made of some'm'aterial having low heat-conductivity. By grasping this handle, the operator can handle the entire apparatus, when it ishot, without burning or soiling his hands. This alone is a very desirable feature to mechanical dentists v Any suitable device for retracting the latch or latches '88, preliminary to attaching the press to the clamp, and for releasing said latch in order to effect disengagement of said parts preliminary to leaving the clamp in a vulcanizer, may be employed. Such device, as shown in the drawing, comprises a lower pull-wire 57, an upper-pull-wire 58, a motion reversing lever 59, a plunger 60, and a spring 61. In detail: said spring is housed as shown in the handle 56; but in practice an equivalent spring maybe applied to the lower wire 57 or, more directly, to the latch-arm 4'0. As shown; on Figs. 1 and 5', the lower end ofwire 57 is connected to said arm with a nut 62, and said wire passes to the outside of the vframe through a groove 63. The upper end of wire -58 is fastenedin or to the plunger 60, which projeets above the end of the handle. The spring 61 is-always under compression, thus exerting always an outward pressure upon the latch 8828. By depressing the plunger, said latch will be drawn inwardly, causing it to pass easily behind the latch-engaging lugs 9.

Our preferred material for all metal parts,

is manganese bronze.

The method of procedure with our press and flask-holder is, substantially, as follows: When the flasks have been packed they are placed in the clamp, which automatically closes itself into upright position, and the bar 16 is manipulated-by its knob 19 to touch the top flask. The plate 18 will now touch only the anterior portion of the upper flask,

both flasks will be held slightlymore open at these portions by their contents. The

operator grasps the handle 56 and with the thumb depresses the button 60, to retract the latch 38-28; slips the flanges 87 under flanges 8; inserts'the hooks 28 in their openings 27, and releases the button 60. After a v few turns of the wheel 52 are given to apply pressure through pin 14i to'the flasks, the press and the clamp are rigidly fastened together, and can be moved or carried by the handle 56. After the holder has been placed in a vessel of boiling water of a depth sufficient to cover the flasks, and kept there until the plastic material has suiiiciently softened, all surplus material will be expelled by the continued pressure of spring 1'? upon plate 18 and the flasks, and the liasks will close to the positions shown on our drawings. The press and clamp are then removed from the water, the wheel 52 is given one half-turn backward, to enable the spring 17 to compensate expansion during vulcanization, and the bar 16 is locked in position by turning the knob 19 crosswise, thereby binding the ratcheted parts together. Still using the handle 56, the operator places the clamp in a vulcanizer, and removes the press from the clamp, leaving holder in vulcanizer. After vulcanizing, the press may be re-attached'to the clamp for lifting the latter from vulcanizer; the clamp unlocked; and the flasks turned out of same, without touching any metal with the fingers, the narrow section of the clamp turnupon the pivots 6 shown by Fig. 6 and ig.

It is perhaps needless to explain that while the pressure is being applied to the flasks through the hand wheel, toggles, pin 44:, etc, the motion imparted to the presserbar 16 will slip the ratchet-teeth of said bar past the ratchet-teeth of lugs 9, and the co engagement of said teeth will hold said bar down to its lowest position, thereby maintaining the required pressure upon the flasks until released.

Though we have referred to a plurality of flasks throughout the description, it is evident that when only one denture is to be vulcanized, an empty flask is inserted above or below the packed flask and the operation will be the same as has been described.

Having thus described our invention, What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a fiask-holder, a super imposed press, means on said holder and press for attaching one to the other, and means actuated from the press for detaching the one from the other.

2. In combination, a flaslcholder, a superimposed press provided with a handle, means on said holder and press for attaching one to the other, and means actuated from the handle of the press for detaching the one from the other.

8. A dental-press comprising a screw-andtoggle mechanism, parts actuated through said mechanism for applying pressure to a flask, and means on said press for engaging a flask-clamp, said means being releasable.

a. A dental press comprising a handle, a screwand-toggle mechanism, parts actuated through said mechanism for applying pressure to the top member of a flask-clamp,

6. A flask-clamp comprising two pivotally connected body sections, a ratchet-toothed lug on the upper end of one section, a presser-bar pivoted at one end on the other section, said bar having ratchet-teeth adapted to engage the aforesaid ratchet-teeth, a plate loosely attached to and below said bar, a compression-spring between said plate and said bar, and means for locking said lug against the toothed face of said presserbar.

7. A flask-clamp comprising two pivotally-connected body sections, a ratchettoothed lug carried by the upper portion of one section, a presser-bar pivotally attached to the other section of the clamp and extending diametrically across the clamp, said bar having a ratchet-tooth adapted to engage the aforesaid ratchet-teeth, a stem mounted on the toothed end of said bar, and a knob mounted on said stem and adapted to engage the outer face of said lug; one of the last two named parts being rotatable with respect to the presser-bar.

8. A flask-clamp press, comprising a metal frame, a heat-insulated handle upon said frame, means on said frame to engage a flask-clamp, a pivoted latch for engaging a part of a flask-clamp, a spring-extended plunger in said handle, and means actuated by thumb pressure on the plunger, for retracting said latch.

9. A flask-clamp press, comprising a metal frame, a screw-and-toggle mechanism, and a member actuated through said mechanism and positioned to bear upon the upper movable member of a flask-clamp of the construction herein described.

10. A flask-clamp press, comprising a frame, a screw-and-toggle mechanism for applying pressure to a flask-clamp constructed as herein described, and means on said press for positively engaging a flaskclamp of the kind described; said means being releasable by means comprised within the press.

11. In a combined flask-clamp and press,

a clamp comprising sidemdls and a bottom, the pressure through said presse'r to a flask Eb presser movably mounted at the top of or flasks Within the clamp.

said clamp, a pressure-spring mounted upon WALTER J. CLARK. 7 said resser and positioned eccentrically VVILLI'AM M. ROMINE." With respect to the periphery of the clamp, Witnesses: 1 and a press-actuated. member located di- M. Y. CHARLES,

rectly above said spring for transmitting W. A. NETHERGOT. 

